The Dutch cabinet this week proposed the strictest set of rules for online gambling since the country legalized the market in 2021. The plan would ban all gambling advertising and bonuses, introduce deposit limits tied to affordability checks, and give regulators broader powers to go after illegal operators. The move comes as the legal market's share has slipped below 50%, with offshore and unlicensed sites now capturing the majority of Dutch players.
What the rules would do
The proposal, announced by the cabinet on June 15, targets the entire funnel of legal gambling. Ads — whether on TV, online or in public spaces — would be banned outright. Sign-up bonuses and other promotions common in the industry would also disappear. Operators would have to check a player's financial background before allowing deposits above a certain threshold. The exact deposit cap hasn't been detailed yet, but the framework makes clear it's tied to affordability.
Alongside those consumer-facing restrictions, the government wants to hand enforcement agencies more tools to shut down illegal sites. That includes faster domain blocking, stronger penalties, and the ability to target payment processors that serve offshore operators.
Crypto payments called out
The cabinet's proposal explicitly identifies cryptocurrency payments as an aggravating factor in the growth of unlicensed gambling. Offshore sites often accept crypto, making it harder for authorities to trace transactions or block payment flows. The government didn't propose a specific crypto ban, but the expanded enforcement powers would allow regulators to pursue crypto payment services that work with illegal gambling platforms.
Why the market share flipped
When the Netherlands legalized online gambling in 2021, the expectation was that a regulated market would pull players away from unlicensed sites. Instead, the opposite has happened. The legal market's share has now dropped below 50%. Industry observers point to high taxes, strict registration requirements, and a slow licensing process as reasons players drift back to offshore sites that offer better odds, fewer checks, and crypto deposit options.
The timing of the crackdown isn't accidental. The government has watched the legal market shrink for two years and decided that lighter regulation wasn't working. The new approach is to make legal gambling so tightly controlled that players theoretically have no choice but to go offshore — then hit the offshore operators with enforcement. Whether that strategy works is an open question.
What comes next
The proposal now heads to parliament. The debate there will likely focus on whether the ad ban goes too far and how affordability checks would work in practice. The cabinet wants the measures in force by early 2027. For crypto-focused payment firms and online gambling platforms, that timeline means a short window to adjust — or to figure out whether the Netherlands will become a market worth fighting for.
